'Promising' PM visits flood areas, victims scramble over meagre aid

Prime Minister Gilani who was in Sindh on a day-long visit to witness the damages caused by heavy rains and flooding, directed the National Disaster Management Authority to provide tents, food, medicines and all other facilities to the displaced at the relief camps set up at different locations. He said 15,000 tents would be provided in the first phase to provide shelter to the people.Gilani also directed National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to provide Watan cards for the displaced people so as to help them meet their financial needs. He asked Ms Farzana Raja, Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) to provide relief to the people under the programme.The PM who also distributed relief goods amongst the flood-affected people said the government, working under the vision of Benazir Bhutto, would ensure swift relief for the masses.After the PM left, the scrambling amongst the flood victims to get maximum aid took a rather ugly turned. People ran over each other to get aid sacks, underlining the point that much more aid should flow in to get to all, though in different proportion. The police reportedly baton-charged the victims vying for sacks of aid.PM Gilani said he had seen the damages caused by the heavy rains and assured that the Federal Government was taking necessary measures to ensure that basic facilities are provided and their sufferings are mitigated.He said the flood-affected areas had been declared disaster-hit areas and the Zarai Taraqiati Bank had also been asked to provide loans to the farming community.The PM said the damage-need assessment would be conducted in the area and the government would compensate the people on the damages to their property, livestock and farms.He prayed and re-assured the people of taking all measures to bring them relief.Speaker National Assembly Fahmida Mirza, Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Minister for Water and Power Syed Naveed Qamar and Chairman Pakistan Baitul Maal Zamurrad Khan accompanied the PM.